In the post-socialist countries, the subject of consumption has not received sufficient attention from the perspective of Consumer Culture Theory. The opinion has long prevailed among the majority of social scientists from this region that consumer society and consumptive behaviour is a socially destructive phenomenon and one of the main causes of problems in contemporary society. This impression has prevented them from scrutinizing the symbolic dimension of consumption and led them to a critical analysis of the social causes and environmental consequences of excessive consumption. The examination of symbolic aspects of consumer culture or the mutual interaction of culture and marketing communication, for example, have remained outside the realm of academic interest. The absence of comprehensive academic interest in the topic of consumer culture does not, however, mean that consumer culture is not a subject of research. Such research, instead, takes place outside of the sphere of the university in the commercial sector and is primarily focused on issues of how to successfully sell products and services. Due to competitive concerns, commercial research into consumer culture has led to the privatization of its results, which runs contrary to the ideal of science as an open and critical project. The goal of this book is to create a counterbalance to this “science in the shadows” and overcome the mutual distrust between the academic and commercial spheres and make possible the transfer of recent discoveries between the two parties. This publication is dedicated to the exploration of three areas of consumer culture: research on consumer culture and consumer behaviour in post-socialist countries (especially in the Czech Republic), new developments in the theory of consumer culture and innovative methodological approaches to its research and, finally, to recent criticism of consumer culture and consumerism. It emerged from the collaboration of a team of authors made up of leading European researchers in the field of consumer culture, such as Kate Soper (London Metropolitan University), Franz Liebl (Berlin University of the Arts) and Rainer Gries (University of Vienna), as well as promising young scholars from the Czech Republic, Great Britain, Sweden, Serbia, Poland and Portugal. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of sociology, cultural studies, marketing and market research.

*NOW FULLY UPDATED AND EXPANDED WITH SIX NEW CHAPTERS* Over the past forty years, Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) has emerged as a distinctive field of study that synthesizes diverse subjects such as anthropology, cultural studies, marketing, political theory and sociology to provide new insights into consumers’ relationships to the marketplace and the influence of commercial action on culture. This book, edited by leading scholars in CCT, contains contributions by many of its leading researchers, and distills this interdisciplinary field into a concise accessible overview for students and early career researchers. It describes the key themes, concepts and theoretical areas of CCT; explains why they are useful in understanding consumption and marketplace phenomena; and shows how they can be applied to a wide range of research contexts. Drawing on real-world scenarios, reflective tasks and international case studies to help aid theoretical understanding and critical thinking, the text is designed to support a course in CCT, supplement related study, and guide undergraduate and postgraduate students in writing a CCT-related dissertation/thesis. It is the go-to text for anyone who is curious about, new to CCT, or looking for an integrative compendium of CCT research and its implications. Eric J. Arnould is Emeritus Professor of Marketing at the Aalto University Business School, Finland. Craig J. Thompson is the Churchill-Bascom Professor of Marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. David Crockett is Professor of Marketing at the University of Illinois Chicago, USA. Michelle F. Weinberger is Associate Professor at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University, Illinois, USA.

The work of motivation and consumer researcher Ernest Dichter was a milestone in the psychological creation of the modern consumer. This collection contextualizes Ernest Dichter within twentieth-century consumer culture and it charts the rise of psychological approaches to consumption in post-war Europe and North America.

This collection of key articles offers insights across a range of sectors. Some of the things the book will explain include: - The influence of social media on the building of luxury brands - The effect of the consumption of counterfeit luxury goods on identity - The value of brand extension as a strategy in regards to luxury fashion brands

Consumer culture influences virtually all activities within modern societies and has become an important area of study for businesses. Logical analysis of consumer behavior is difficult as humans have different reasons for repeatedly buying products they need or want, and it is challenging to follow why they buy unneeded or unwanted products regularly. Without a comprehensive understanding of consumer culture as the basis, market discussions become empty and produce little insight into the power consumers hold in affecting other individuals and society. Multifaceted Explorations of Consumer Culture and Its Impact on Individuals and Society provides emerging research from different perspectives on the basis and ramifications of consumer culture, as well as how it affects all aspects of the lives of individuals. While providing a platform for exploring interpersonal interactions and issues related to ethics in marketing, readers will gain valuable insight into areas such as consumer vs. producer mentality, the effects of consumerism on developing countries, and the consequences of consumerism. This book is an important resource for marketing professionals, business managers, sociologists, students, academicians, researchers, and consumer professionals.

Contemporary Consumer Culture Theory contains original research essays written by the premier thought leaders of the discipline from around the world that reflect the maturation of the field Customer Culture Theory over the last decade. The volume seeks to help break down the silos that have arisen in disciplines seeking to understand consumer culture, and speed both the diffusion of ideas and possibility of collaboration across frontiers. Contemporary Consumer Culture Theory begins with a re-evaluation of some of the fundamental notions of consumer behaviour, such as self and other, branding and pricing, and individual vs. communal agency then continuing with a reconsideration of role configurations as they affect consumption, examining in particular the ramifications of familial, gender, ethnic and national aspects of consumers’ lived experiences. The book move on to a reappraisal of the state of the field, examining the rhetoric of inquiry, the reflexive history and critique of the discipline, the prospect of redirecting the effort of inquiry to practical and humanitarian ends, the neglected wellsprings of our intellectual heritage, and the ideological underpinnings of the evolving construction of the concept of the brand. Contemporary Consumer Culture Theory is a reflective assessment, in theoretical, empirical and evocative keys, of the state of the field of consumer culture theory and an indication of the scholarly directions in which the discipline is evolving providing reflection upon a rapidly expanding discipline and altered consumption-scapes by some of its prime movers.

Drawing on a vast array of research contexts ranging from brand collecting, globalizing food in India, and art consumption to rock festivals, dog shows, and fan fiction, this volume suggests both the breadth and depth encompassed by Consumer Culture Theory (CCT). CCT is a specific interpretive approach to understanding consumer behavior that has crystallized in the past few years out of an evolving stream of research conducted over the past few decades. These chapters present cutting edge CCT research and are a subset of the work presented at the first CCT Conference. Besides its focus on consumption, CCT research emphasizes the cultural context of consumer behavior with the intent of constructing theory. As the innovative writings, photography, and poems in this volume illustrate, rather than being a single theory, Consumer Culture Theory is a set of empirical and conceptual approaches emphasizing non-positivist methods and culturally constructed meanings. These chapters present a rich stew of ideas, findings, and insights that represent the best of CCT. Together they sketch some of the domains that CCT research seeks to inform. Collectively they should enlighten, inspire, and empower further research in the CCT spirit.